wolf drabble
by morningwolf
Summary: This is just a drabble I wrote. Kenshin takes in a stray, three guesses who. Slight romance but not much. I don't know if there will be a sequel. Not canon.


I kept on running, past the pain, the hunger, the exhaustion, the strain on my magic. I needed to find shelter but I needed to lose my pursuers first. So, I headed away from civilization, I fled the only life that I had ever known and disappeared into the wilderness.

I don't know how long I ran. I ran until I couldn't run another tail-length without stumbling over my own paws. I stumbled to a halt in a clearing and finally gave in to my weaknesses. I succumbed to darkness.

I became aware of a person near me. The feeling was faint and I couldn't tell if they meant me harm or not. Moments passed and then I felt warmth, blessed warmth as I was covered with a cloth and scooped up into strong, gentle arms. I again drifted into sleep's open embrace.

I slowly returned to the conscious world. The biting cold in my limbs replaced with the mindless feeling of warmth. I opened my senses and felt around me. I was lying on a cot on the floor in a warm place. A fire crackled merrily at me from my right and a second warmth settled on my left.

I opened my eyes to find a young man with violet eyes gazing down at me through auburn bangs. Concern rolled off him like water off a duck as he gently raised me into a sitting position.

I felt the ache in my bones as I was lifted into a more upright position. I felt the man shift ever so slightly behind me and found myself resting against his bent leg with one arm resting on his knee and holding my head up.

I closed my eyes in an attempt at hiding from the truth. I am completely vulnerable to this man's every whim.

"You need to eat something, that you do. I'm not going to hurt you, miss, that I am not," his voice drifted gently through my mind as I opened my eyes to gaze back into his soothing gaze.

"Kaoru. My name is Kaoru."

He smiled down at me gently, "I would rather have met you under different circumstances but it is a pleasure to meet you all the same, Miss Kaoru, that it is. My name is Kenshin Himura."

His gentle mannerisms left me with a feeling of déjà vu and a sense of foreboding. The last man to show me an ounce of kindness was brutally murdered before my eyes, for the same thing to happen twice would kill me.

"Miss Kaoru? Are you feeling okay?" his voice rumbled in his chest gently.

"Fine, just tired," I lied.

I was relieved when he dropped the matter. I felt him shift against me so that I was cradled more firmly against him. A bowl appeared in my line of sight and I watched bleary eyed as a spoon was lifted out of the bowl and brought to my lips.

I sipped slowly at the spoon, too exhausted to do much more. Slowly, sip by sip, spoon by spoon, I cleaned out the bowl of soup. The warm, thick broth returned some of my strength but not enough to keep me awake.

I fought against the yawn that I felt coming but failed at hiding my blatant exhaustion from the red-head holding me up. Amusement rolled off him as he gently shifted me back down onto the cot before tucking the blanket around me firmly.

"Rest some more, Miss Kaoru. You need your strength, that you do," his voice was as warm as his eyes. His warm violet eyes were the last thing that I saw as I lost myself to the world of dreams.

My next swim to consciousness was easier. I opened my eyes to find my benefactor sitting in a chair darning some clothing that looked suspiciously like something of mine. Mentally shrugging it off, I let my gaze wander around the small safe-haven.

"It's not much, but its home, that it is. If I may, Miss Kaoru, what were you doing out there in the middle of the storm?" his voice didn't pressure me into answering but his eyes held a note of adamant curiosity that told me that he would eventually get the answers he wanted.

I dropped my eyes from his penetrating gaze and sighed heavily, "My story is my own and I will not endanger you by sharing it."

"If you are referring to the wolf-men who were hunting you, you need not fear them anymore," his voice became deadlier as he spoke. "They have been dealt with permanently. No one harms what is placed in my keeping."

I raised my eyes back to his and found amber swirls in his violet gaze. I felt fear grip my heart for a moment as I struggled to remember how to breathe. He gazed at me for a moment longer with an unnamed emotion burning in his eyes before they softened and he put aside his needle work.

He stood from his chair and glided out of my immediate line of sight only to return a moment later with a clay cup. Gently, he slid an arm under my shoulders and lifted me up into a sitting position. I was able to hold myself up and take the mug from his hands.

The water in the mug had a slight earthy taste to it but it still felt good against my throat. When my hands started shaking from my failing strength, Kenshin easily took the cup from me and guided me back down to the cot.

"Rest, Miss Kaoru, you've exhausted almost all of your energies and you need the rest to recuperate that you do."

"Do you usually take in strays?" I asked sleepily.

A smile graced his features, "Only the ones worth saving. Go back to sleep."

I mumbled something vaguely affirmative as I drifted off into sleep once more. Sleep had barely claimed me when the nightmares started.

They are always the same theme; I can't stop the deaths of those around me. I am forced to watch helplessly as everyone that I care about dies. The pain that these deaths cause has me screaming, pleading for it to end.

Strong arms are around me. They are cradling me against a hard chest and a calming voice is whispering comforting nothings in my ear. Finally, I manage to rip my mind from the dreaming world but not before I see the man holding me die by my hand.

"No!" I whimpered as I sagged in Kenshin's arms. "Please no. No, no, no."

"Shh, Miss Kaoru, you're okay now. Easy does it, shh. Nothing can hurt you, not anymore," his words were like a soothing balm on a burn as he continued to whisper sweet nothings in my ear.

I'm not sure how long Kenshin held me. I don't even remember him laying me back down onto the cot. All I know is that I've been alone for a long time and for even a hint of kindness to be offered to me is like offering a thirsting man in the desert a drink of cool, refreshing water.

I must have fallen asleep again for when I opened my eyes, I was no longer on the floor in front of the fire but in a bed in a darkened room that was heated with magic. The taste of the magic on my tongue held a hint of ginger and I was reminded of Kenshin's scent.

Voices drifted through the thick door and I could make out one voice's loud words but the responding voice was just an indistinct murmur that was lost to me. All of a sudden both voices fell silent a moment before the door opened and a mountain of a man preceded Kenshin into the room.

"So this is the she-wolf? She doesn't look like much to me," his voice and expression screamed arrogant, self-centered, egotistical, son of a basset hound.

"Shishou, I would appreciate it if you would let Miss Kaoru rest, that I would," Kenshin practically growled at the giant.

"Relax, baka deshi, if she's easily intimidated—"

"You'll what? Send me packing? Thanks but no thanks. I'm leaving on my own," I pushed the covers back and forced myself to stand on shaky knees. "I've already put you in too much danger, red. Thanks for the hospitality though."

A sudden dizzy spell caused my vision to swim black for a moment and I staggered forward. A strong hand caught my arm and guided me back to the edge of the bed.

"Easy, kid, you're not strong enough to leave just yet and a new storm just blew in. You're stuck here with me and my baka deshi for a while yet, so get off your high horse and rest," rumbled the giant in a gentler tone.

I didn't answer as my head swam in exhaustion and I nearly toppled off the edge of the bed. Gentle hands caught me and cradled me against a strong chest. A familiar ginger scent enveloped me and I relaxed despite the turmoil in my mind.

I felt myself laid back down and covered again. I opened my eyes to find concerned violet orbs gazing down at me. I dropped my eyes from his and picked idly at the blanket covering me.

"I see you're not easily intimidated, but you are easily scared. What happened to cause you to go on the run?" the mountain of a man asked as he pulled a jug out from under his massive white coat.

I sent a glare at him as I returned coldly, "That is my business."

He shrugged his massive shoulders as he turned and walked out the door, "Don't do anything stupid, baka deshi."

Kenshin glared at the now closed door before turning back to look at me, "I apologize for my shishou's behavior. He is arrogant but he cares."

"He has a funny way of showing it," I muttered as I pushed myself up to a sitting position.

Kenshin's hands were immediately there and he helped me to relax against the headboard. He reached for a mug on the nightstand and pressed it into my hands. The heat that he sparked to reheat the cup was enough to warm my chilled hands.

I took a sip from the mug and found it to be a soothing tea. I took a second sip to keep from having to meet his searching gaze.

"You should rest some more, Miss Kaoru, that you should," his voice was warm as he reached for the mug again.

I passed it to him and snuggled back down into the pillows. I felt Kenshin pull the blanket up to my shoulder. I looked up at him and his eyes showed an emotion that I didn't want to consider.

"Sleep, Miss Kaoru, I'll check in on you later," he promised quietly, but as he turned to leave I caught his sleeve in a tight fist. "Miss Kaoru?"

"Stay? Just for a little while?" I asked quietly, not meeting his gaze.

I didn't hear a reply and was about to meet his gaze when I found myself cradled against his chest. He picked me up and resettled me in his lap. I jerked slightly away from him but found his arms restraining me.

"Shh, Miss Kaoru, it's okay now. You're safe here. No one's going to hurt you again, I promise. Shh," he murmured against my hair as he cradled me against him.

Slowly, I relaxed against him and I felt my eyes grow heavy. I was nearly asleep when his hands began to trace up and down my back and he began to rock me slowly. I was almost asleep when there was a shift in the magic around us. I tried to figure out what it was I was feeling, smelling, tasting but the lull of sleep became too much and I slipped deep into a dreamless sleep.

"How is she?"

"Hurting."

"You gave her a compulsion to sleep, didn't you?"

"She has nightmares."

"Then what are you doing out here? You should be with your mate, baka deshi."

A/N: Here is just a drabble that I've cooked up. I've had it for a while but only just decided to post it. There may be more chapters but it depends on the reviews if I decide to post them.


End file.
